AGRICULTURE AND RURAL LIVELIHOOD IN NORTHWEST PEDDIE DISTRICT / LANDBOU EN LANDELIKE HEENKOME IN DIE NOORD-WES PEDDIE DISTRIK

Abstract

The present contribution of small scale agriculture to rural livelihood in north-west Peddie district and the four factors identified by Lipton (1996) as being essential for small scale farming to flourish, were analysed by making use of data obtained in two recent studies conducted in the area. The two studies, which both used a questionnaire survey for data collection, enabled a comparison between dryland and irrigated agriculture. The analysis showed that agriculture adds to rural livelihood in a modest way only, and hardly ever constituted the main source of household income. For the majority of households in both the dryland and irrigated production environments the main source of income consisted of State transfers of which pensions were the most important. In the area, three of the four factors identified by Lipton (1996), namely access to agricultural land, research and development of appropriate technology, and rural infrastructure were found to require reform for local small scale farming to become a viable livelihood option. The only factor which did not appear to present a major constraint was access to markets. Relative to the present level of production, the market in the rural area itself is sufficiently large to absorb most produce, usually at prices higher than those offered by formal markets. In future, access to markets could become a constraint if production by small scale farmers were to be increased significantly.

Die huidige bydrae van kleinskaalse landbou tot landelike heenkome in Noordwes Peddie Distrik asook die vier faktore wat deur Lipton (1996) geïdentifiseer is as syned essensieel vir kleinboerboerdery om te floreer, is ontleed deur die gebruik van data wat in twee onlangse studies in die gebied ingesamel is. Die twee studies wat albei vraeboogopnames vir dataversameling gebruik het, het 'n vergelyking tussen droëlandse en besproeiingsboerdery moontlik gemaak. Die analise toon dat die landbou slegs in 'n matige mate tot landelik bestaanbaarheid bydra, en nouliks ooit die hoofbron van huishoudelike inkomste was. Vir die meeste huishoudings in beide die droëlandse en besproeiingsproduksie-omgewings was Staatsoordragte, met pensioene as die belangrikste komponent, die hoofbron van inkomste. In die gebied is bevind dat hervorming nodig is in drie van die vier faktore wat volgens Lipton (1996) voorvereistes is vir plaaslike kleinskaalse boerdery om 'n leefbare bestaan te lewer. Toegang tot landbougrond, navorsing asook die ontwikkeling van toepaslike tegnologie en landelike infrastruktuur. Die enigste faktor wat nie geblyk het om 'n belangrike beperking te wees nie was marktoegang. In verhouding met die huidige produksiepeil is die mark in die landelike omgewing groot genoeg om die meesteprodukte te absorbeer, meestal teen pryse hoer as die by die formele markte. In die toekoms kan marktoegang beperking raak indien kleinboere se produksie drasies sou toeneem.